Deposits: what's normal, what's not, and how to pay safely

When a deposit is reasonable, how big it should be, and the payment habits that protect you if a job goes sideways.

A handshake sealing an agreement between two people

Deposits sit at an awkward intersection of trust: the tradie doesn't want to buy materials for a job that gets cancelled, and you don't want to hand money to someone who might not come back. Both concerns are legitimate — which is why the norms exist.

Here's what reasonable looks like, and the habits that keep your money safe without insulting a good tradie.

When a deposit is reasonable

Small jobs — a repair, a service call, a day's labour — usually don't involve a deposit at all; you pay on completion. Deposits become normal when the tradie has to order materials specific to your job (custom cabinetry, particular tiles, a specific hot water unit) or reserve significant time in their schedule.

Several states cap deposits on residential building work — commonly around 10 per cent for larger jobs. Outside those caps, 10 to 20 per cent is a typical, defensible range. A tradie asking for half or more up front on an ordinary job is asking you to carry their cash flow, and that's worth questioning.

Stage payments should follow progress, not dates

On multi-week jobs, paying in stages is normal and fair. The detail that matters: stages should be tied to visible progress — "on completion of frame", "after waterproofing passes inspection" — never just calendar dates. You should always be able to see what you've paid for.

A useful habit for both sides: keep the running total of what's been paid and what remains in the same message thread as the job. Ambiguity is where disputes grow.

How to pay

Pay in ways that leave a record — card, bank transfer, or through the platform where you hired them. QuickQuote's in-app payments go straight to the tradie's account with the transaction recorded against the job, which gives both sides a clean trail.

Large cash discounts are the classic warning sign: a modest one might just be avoiding card fees, but a big one usually means the job is off the books — and if it's off the books, so is your recourse.

The final payment is your leverage — use it fairly

Never pay 100 per cent before the job is finished and you've looked it over. Walking the job with the tradie at the end isn't distrust — it's the professional close-out both sides should want, and it's the moment small fixes actually happen.